Lost
by sakurablue13
Summary: Radek Zelenka found a lost soul in Atlantis' number one team


**Title: LOST**

Character: Radek Zelenka

Summary: Radek Zelenka found a lost soul in Atlantis' number one team

Disclaimer: not mine...

Author's note: no beta, so all faults are solely mine

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><p>The Infirmary was quiet at this kind of time. Well, it <em>was<em> the Infirmary. It was supposed to be quiet. Dr. Radek Zelenka wriggled in his bed for the umpteenth time, trying to find a more comfortable spot. During the years of his residency in Atlantis, his visits to the Infirmary as a patient had been limited to mild complaints such as cold, headaches, and indigestion. Growing up in a place where hygiene wasn't top priority had had it perks when facing alien food and environment. Although there were twice or thrice Radek had to stay for the night due to experiments that went wrong.

Such as today. Radek surrendered into being admitted earlier this day with a second degree burn almost all over his left arm after a set of device he was tweaking at went boom and burst into a huge ball of fire. Good thing Rodney was off-world—between the blaring fire alarm and the pain in his arm, Radek really didn't think he would've survived the wrath of McKay. Dr. Keller wanted him to stay just as precaution and if everything went well, he would be released first thing in the morning.

Drs. Kusanagi and Simpson had left some time ago when his tray of dinner was brought in and Dr. Cole was generous enough to give him his laptop—with a note as long as he wouldn't over do it—only for the sake of having something to occupy his mind before sleep came.

A bustling of sound made by a group of people entered the main section of the Infirmary. The high-pitched voice was easily recognized.

"I'm SO not going back to that place. EVER! Do you realize there were flowers at every inch of that planet! AND every spot of their houses? Those people are freaks. Who decorates every corner of their house with flowers in myriads of colors? I'm allergic to flowers!"

"They do."

"The Yahardans have been using the flowers for many purposes in many generations. That is why we are visiting them to seek trade. The bouquets are their symbol of gratitude towards the plants. We were lucky the chieftain found us…hilarious rather than rude."

"You're not allergic to flowers, Rodney. You came back here safe and sound, right?"

Must be the Colonel's team, Radek surmised, shaking his head upon Rodney's diatribe. Suddenly, an idea came into Radek's already giggling mind. Secured behind curtains surrounding most of his bed's area, Radek's curiosity had the best out of him as he closed his notebook silently and peek through across his bed to see how Atlantis' most notorious team interact. Haven't they realized they were so entertaining to watch most of the times?

The four went through the usual post-mission checkup routines with their usual raucousness; Dr. Rodney McKay bitching nonstop about anything and everything, Lt. Col. John Sheppard taunting the shorter man mercilessly which would elicited a heartily guffaw from one Specialist Ronon Dex of Sateda, and Athosian' leader Teyla Emmagen fruitlessly trying to control the boys. Radek heard how most of the new Infirmary staffs wondered why none of the older staffs had never even tried telling them to keep it down, but those who knew the Colonel and his team had known better. Not even threats of big needles from Drs. Keller and Beckett or the presence of their leader would work.

If only those newbies knew what they had been through, the notion caused Radek to shiver. He was there half of the time, though mostly as mere audience. It took him several visits to the late Dr. Heightmeyer—bless her soul—just to chase away the nightmares after watching helplessly as Colonel Sheppard was being fed repeatedly to the Wraith. And many more after. He could barely imagine the ghosts faced by those four after so many horrible things that had happened.

"Well, thank goodness, ladies and gentlemen, your results were clean," Dr. Cole's voice floated out of Radek's vicinity beyond the curtains, sounding a bit too cheery if not with a hint of relief. Perhaps she wasn't looking forward on keeping any of them without either Drs. Keller or Beckett present. "So, you're all good to go. Just remember to get food and plenty of rest. And try to take it easy for tomorrow."

Hopping down from the gurney he was perched on, Radek heard Rodney grumbling under his breath, "Take it easy? Are you kidding me? I'm a very busy man. I've left my lab and minions for two days under Zelenka's careless eyes and God knows what he's done with them."

Radek squinted bemusedly at those words. Ungrateful bastard. Perhaps one day he'd show Rodney who's the one with careless eyes.

Teyla gave the ranting scientist a gentle smile before straightening herself. "I shall take my leave, then. I believe my boys are waiting. Gentlemen." As a finale, she gave them a graceful nod of her head.

Surprisingly, Radek managed to catch a glint of disappointment in Colonel Sheppard's half-hearted goodbye as he watched the Athosian lady left.

Then, Sheppard turned to the others, giving Radek a view of his lean back. "So, you guys wanna grab dinner together? We could watch movies after that. I heard Lorne got some new DVDs around."

A faint color of red crept up Rodney's neck as he stuttered his answer, "Uh… Sorry, John… I, uh… I promised Jen to meet her in her quarters for dinner tonight, so, uh…"

"Yeah, I'm meeting Banks in the gym after dinner," Ronon supplied quietly. Radek wondered for a while why the fierce fighter sounded guilty all the short while.

"Oh." Oh, was that another tinge of disappointment in the Colonel's voice?

"But, uh, I could postpone my date with Jennifer if you need some company," eyes wide, Rodney hurriedly interjected, exchanging uneasy glances with the ex-Runner at his side.

"Yeah," Ronon shrugged. "Banks and I can spar tomorrow."

Radek caught how Colonel Sheppard's shoulders vaguely sagged. John Sheppard's nature of putting others first than himself was well-known. Radek had seen the man's tendency of sacrificing his needs over others. So it didn't surprise him when he heard the Colonel's reply in an attempted dismissive tone, "Nah, I'll just crash Lorne's movie night, then. You guys have fun."

"You sure?" Ronon pressed on with narrowed eyes.

Pity how sometimes those closest to you could be the blindest to see. Radek knew exactly Major Lorne and his team had departed on an off-world mission just this morning and wasn't expected to come home any sooner than tomorrow afternoon. Radek was at the Control Room when they left. He was also sure that Colonel Sheppard knew that too, for the Colonel was the one arranging off-world mission schedule.

Another brave-acting shrug from the Air Force pilot only confirmed Radek's thoughts. "Yeah. Just don't to stay up late, tomorrow's school day; debrief with Woolsey tomorrow at 0800. Now, shoo."

Timid at first, a reassuring smile Sheppard must have given had both Rodney and Ronon scurried out of the Infirmary like teenagers. Radek shook his head. How could they not understand?

Sheppard finally turned around facing the door, eyes trailing to the directions where his teammates disappeared, all the while giving Radek full view of the Colonel at that moment. And the way the man looked gave Radek a shock.

Gone was Colonel Sheppard's famous easy grin. Or the lazy posture he always presented himself. Or the charming confidence he usually showed. What left was a lost look; a complete blank face, devoid of all emotions. Like a child who got separated from his family in the crowd, just seconds before going into full panic mode. And from the practiced ease Sheppard had shown, Radek figured that was not his first time being left alone like that.

Sheppard shoved both hands into his pockets in defeat and sighed for the last time loudly before walking out the Infirmary quietly. All without knowing Radek was there, watching his every move.

That particular look was not unfamiliar to Radek. A childhood friend of his was an orphan. He remembered one day as they were all playing on the playground, waiting for their parents to pick them up. Radek and his orphan friend were the ones left. When Radek's mother finally arrived and ready to take him home, Radek turned excitedly to wave his friend goodbye only to find his friend staring blankly at him. That friend of his had the exact look as the Colonel a couple of minutes ago.

Radek didn't realize he was slightly gaping until a nurse peeped into his safe spot from between the curtains. The young woman smiled at him apologetically. "Dr. Zelenka, we're sorry for the noise, but you should be able to rest now that the Colonel's team's gone."

Which had him snapped his jaws shut so abruptly it kinda' hurt. "No, it's okay. I've just finished working."

Expecting the opposite, the nurse slid in instead, gently extricating the notebook computer from his hands. "Dr. Cole also wants me to take this, make sure you sleep."

Radek surrendered his notebook without complaints, his mind still too engulfed into his recent thoughts and memories. "Yes, of course."

He didn't even notice the nurse checking over his vitals for the last time and changed his bed's position into more horizontal. After the young woman finished fussing over him and once again disappeared, Radek retraced the days Atlantis' notorious team was born, when young Lieutenant Aidan Ford was still with them, through the arrival of Ronon Dex, over the string of leader changes, Atlantis traveling to Earth and back, and up to this day. He had been keeping watch with undisguised interest on how the four misfits formed a solid connection, turning strangers into family. But apparently, changes weren't inevitable even to Colonel Sheppard's team, making the closely-knitted bond started to loosen.

A new resolution formed in Radek's head. Maybe he should talk to Rodney about this—or Teyla, in case McKay freaked out—before things went way too far for the team to fix. With that conclusion checked mentally, Radek buried himself under the covers and welcomed sleep to claim him.

Near midnight, Radek's fever spiked due to a delayed infection, dumping him into a delirious stupor for almost 14 hours and causing the Infirmary staffs running around him. By the time he recovered and got kicked out from the Infirmary to return to his own quarters two days after, Radek had forgotten everything about Colonel Sheppard, although he kept having this feeling nagging at him every time he saw the team…


End file.
